Ferdinand's Liverpool warning

October 22, 2009

Rio Ferdinand

MANCHESTER United defender Rio Ferdinand has warned his team-mates that the form book means nothing when it comes to clashes with Liverpool.

The Reds are sitting pretty on top of the Premier League and with a 100 per cent record in the Champions League.

Liverpool, by contrast, are languishing in eighth position in the league and have lost their last four games in all competitions. To make matters worse for Liverpool, inspirational skipper Steven Gerrard is unlikely to be fit for Sunday's game.

But Ferdinand said: “We all know there is a big rivalry between the two teams, like you see in derbies or FA Cup games.

“But form just goes out of the window. It is about who performs best on the day and that is what we are trying to do.”

Ferdinand has also played down the significance of this individual fixture at this stage of the season, even though a win would lift United 10 points clear of a perceived title rival.

He said: “It is just another game to play. We want to win as many games as we can this season and this is just another one along that way.”

Meanwhile, Ferdinand has joined the chorus of approval for Antonio Valencia after the Ecuadorian's match-winning performance against CSKA Moscow.

“I think everyone is very pleased with what Antonio has done,” said Ferdinand.

“He’s a really humble and quiet lad. He comes in, does his work and goes home.

“He is from the Paul Scholes mould of embracing hype and attention but he’s the most confident guy on the football field and he’s been very impressive since he arrived.

“He is always available, always backing himself on the ball and doesn’t mind a bit of contact. He is a strong lad and that’s what you want.

“He’s playing very well and I’m sure he will keep improving and keep scoring goals.”

What do you think? Have your say.

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neal 07, south stand lower (22/10/2009 at 16:15)

Like I posted earlier this week, when your biggest rival is down, we have to react by kicking them in their teeth!!!

I really feel we have to be ruthless, more so than ever in this match, attack from the start, their full backs are very weak (Johnson is mediocre), get in behind and let little Michael score in his old back yard!!

The dippers are struggling, no confidence, moral at a real low...so they will come out fighting more than ever, but if we get a quick/early goal it will deflate them and leave them even more open to conceding more

SAF does not need any verbal team talk, just show the lads the DVD of that horrible 1-4 defeat and tell them to 'go put it right'!!!

For me my team would be...

VDS, WES, RIO, VIDA, PATRICE, VALENCIA, ANDO, FLETCH(IF FIT, IF NOT CARRICK), NANI, BERBATOV & OWEN

subs...FOSTER, FABIO, ROONEY, GIGGS, SCHOLES, EVANS, MACHEDA

A comprehensive 3-0 win is there waiting for us, Berbatov, Nani & Owen to score

Thats why were champions!!!

Sparky was the best ever (22/10/2009 at 16:44)

Even though he's a winger, Valencia reminds me of Andy Cole. Clean striker of the ball and a very powerful leg. If he can run the wing like Kanchelskis and cross like Beckham, he'll be a star.

Lord Ruud (22/10/2009 at 17:15)

neal 07 - I've seen enough football to know that games like this can be dangerous. Liverpool will come out at a real high tempo, their crowd will be loud and every touch we have will be booed. If we don't start at a good tempo it could be a problem irrelevant of form. As you say an early goal will help us but then again we got an early one last season and look what happened. In both fixtures last season we held the lead and then took our foot of the pedal.

Hopefully Fletcher will be fit for this one as he missed the 2 games last season. Looking at the game last night, I expect Fergie will pick the following.

VDS, O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov

Frank Old Trafford (22/10/2009 at 17:27)

Unfortunately I have to agree with Neal, I say unfortunately only cos kicking them in the teeth when they're down sounds a bit OTT but it has to be done.

They'll be fighting for their lives and we'll have to be up for the scrap. As Neal says there shouldn't be a lack of motivation, revenge is ours but theirs being saving the whole season in October it's going to be blood and guts stuff.

Giggs is a definite which means Nani will be dropped which is a shame after his fine effort in Moscow but I suppose he knew that before the game. Whether Roo is fit or not we must start with 2 strikers as it will unsttle an already nervous defence and give the wingers somebody to aim at.

Rafa's only hope is to catch us out with tactics but with the frailty of their full backs and our most in form players being Nani, Valencia and Giggs Rafa won't be getting any sleep this week. I really can't see us not winning this and rubbing salt into thier wounds, no matter how nasty it sounds, will be flippin great!

Red-Brit-in-It (22/10/2009 at 17:37)

What impresses me most about Valencia is his ability to bring the ball down under control - even the most difficult passes. It's wonderful to watch. I wasn't keen on the lad at first, but now I can see it. I also like his modesty - he doesn't make a fuss, even when he scores.

Mancinitaly, Calabria (22/10/2009 at 18:26)

If any of you lads need a beach ball for Sundays game, let me know. We've got loads down here.

Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (22/10/2009 at 18:48)

Regardless of their form I think we can gaurantee that Liverpool will be up for the game on Sunday. No doubt the wounded of the last couple of games will be fit to play the Champions..my big worry is that the adopted son will be in the team,thus reducing Utd to 10 men before the coin is flipped! Just hope the spud faced nipper takes to the field because Utd's play in the league when he's missing leaves a lot to be desired! And Vidic..don't know if he's carrying an injury but this season something is not quite right!
Attack them Fergie,don't treat it like a European game and play one up front..did'nt do us much good last season,did it?

DUB RED, CLONDALKIN (22/10/2009 at 19:22)

I reckon Rio is spot on.Every time the fat spanish waiter looks like he is on the way out he pulls off a result that gets the scousers right back behind him and 3 pints on sunday would be christmas early for them at the moment.These are games when the form book is thrown out the window the way the two teams are playing we should have no problems getting a result but that is never garenteed.

Bigmouth strikes again, Manchester (22/10/2009 at 20:17)

neal 07 is Rooney not playing?

BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (22/10/2009 at 21:08)

I think utd will do a good job on liverpool this time.

Stanley Kong (22/10/2009 at 22:49)

people seem to have forgotten that rooney's going to play, meaning that there'll be no place for owen in the team, unless we're 3-0 up at halftime...

but i'd fancy owen to score, imagining two scousers scoring in liverpool...

red john (22/10/2009 at 23:51)

rio concentrate on football; you cant afford to take your eye off it for film premiers

Hughesie, Manchester (23/10/2009 at 00:11)

We need to attack Liverpool and not go looking for that lucky 1-0 win that we usually get at Anfield as last seasons game proved that luck does not last forever. If Lyon can batter the scousers then so can we. 4-5-1 is ideal away in europe but for a classic Liverpool -v- United game and a better chance of winning we must play 4-4-2. Oh how I long for that game when we drew 3-3, (only 7 years old at the time mind!) the way football should be played. Also, to all the travelling Reds, see you at Anfield and make sure that we're as loud as can be like we always do away from home but sometimes the early kick offs does have an effect on our voices when we are at Anfield. Anyone else agree?

Mrs Fullaway`s lodger (23/10/2009 at 07:49)

Sparky was the best ever,
22/10/2009 at 16:44

Even though he's a winger, Valencia reminds me of Andy Cole. Clean striker of the ball and a very powerful leg. If he can run the wing like Kanchelskis and cross like Beckham, he'll be a star.

Jeeze, strike the ball like Cole, run the wing like Kanchelski, cross like Beckham . . . . if he could do that he would cost about 95 million pounds and not 16. You don't expect too much of him do you . . if he could also stop the shots like Schmeichel we'd have a VdS successor. Are you over 16, a bitterblue, just bored or a civil servant from the South?

OpenshawBoy, Canada (23/10/2009 at 08:29)

Ferdinand is correct by saying that the fixture with Liverpool at Anfield is just another game, but with Liverpool having lost 4 straight they are even more dangerous playing the part of a wounded animal. Thankfully we have Van de Sar back and he seems to have barely missed a beat. Another plus is the recent form of Valencia, who was always playing fairly well in my books, but he appears to be settling down and has played his best football in the last two games, a hat-trick of scoring outings would be a wonderful way to show his scoring touch here to stay for a little while.

A fit Rooney would be a bonus, as would a scoring cameo from Owen, if I was Fergie I would give him a decent amount of time to torment his old club. It looked like the back 4 was firing on all cylinders in Moscow, but let's face it, Spartak didn't show too much going forward. Hopefully that was due to us closing them down in midfield and allowing them no room if they did reach the backline, and not their ineptitude.

I'm looking forward to what should be a slugfest on Sunday, and feel United should just shade it 1-0.

Red Bill, Salford (23/10/2009 at 09:00)

Neal 07, what's all this about Rooney on the bench in your team. Get real, he may have had an injury but if fit enough to be on the bench he's fit enough to start and should always be the first player picked.
I'd have Gary Neville in too. His hatred of Liverpool is well known and he had a fine game in Moscow.
Bring Owen on in the second half to score against his own club ( in front of the Kop ) and we'll all go home singing. Utd to win 3-0

2OLEGEND, Lancaster (23/10/2009 at 12:32)

the bin dippers are going to be bang up for this with or without torres and gerrard.they didnt play against us last season at anfield and we still got turned over. We are going to have to be right on top of our game. Form doesnt matter, if they play better than us they can still beat us and vice versa. at least we go there with our 18 titles - c'mon boys!!!

red (23/10/2009 at 15:54)

the Liverpool side is a great deal different from the one that came to OT last year. I'm sure the coaches have shown the vidoe of that game a few times over. Torres and Kuyt run at you. we don't defend well in those situations, let's be honest. so we'll need to score at least three to win the game. it will need a good performance. In spite of the latest results, Liverpool are potentially one of the top three teams in the league. should be a great game. both sides are....

Colin Wood (23/10/2009 at 17:24)

This is a make or break match for Liverpool, they can either rescue their season,or watch it fade away into ignominy. So most definitely they will come out muskets blazing,I just hope United packs a bigger gun.

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